FRONT PANEL
A. BYPASS SWITCH AND INDICATOR
Depressing the BYPASS button creates a
"hard-wire bypass" of the 160X's circuitry by
connecting the input directly to the output; the
LED above the switch turns ON in Bypass mode.
B. SLAVE SWITCH AND INDICATOR
Depressing the SLAVE button on one 160X
of a stereo pair determines that the other 160X
will be the Master (the controlling unit). The LED
above the SLAVE button turns ON when the
160X is in SLAVE mode, indicating that the front
panel functions (with the exception of BYPASS
and DISPLAY select switches) are deactivated and
under control of the Master 160X. When neither
160X is in SLAVE mode, each will operate
normally as a mono compressor/limiter.
C. THRESHOLD CONTROL
Adjusting this knob sets the threshold of
compression from -40 dBm (7.8 mV) to 20 dBm
(7.8 V). In hard-knee compression mode, the thres-
hold is defined as that point above which the out-
put level no longer changes on a 1:1 basis with
changes in the input level. In Over Easy mode, the
threshold of compression is defined as the
approximate middle of the Over Easy threshold
region, as shown in Figure 3-1.
D. OVER EASY SWITCH
Depressing this button changes the threshold
mode to dbx's Over Easy characteristic, and allows
the middle (amber) THRESHOLD LED to turn ON
when the signal is in the Over Easy region. When
this button is out. the 160X operates as a hard-
knee compressor/limiter.
E. THRESHOLD INDICATORS
These three LEDs indicate the relationship
of the input signal level to the threshold of com-
pression. The green "BELOW" LED is ON when
the signal is below threshold and the red "ABOVE"
LED is ON when the signal is above threshold.
When the 160X is switched to Over Easy mode,
the amber LED is ON when the signal is in the
Over Easy region (Refer to Figure 3-1).
F. COMPRESSION RATIO CONTROL
Rotating this control in a clockwise direction
increases the maximum amount of compression
from 1:1 (no compression) up to infinity:! (no
increase in RMS output regardless of input level
increases above threshold); further clockwise
rotation increases compression into the
INFINITY+ region, up to a maximum of-1:1
(i.e.,a 1 dB decrease in input level causes a 1 dB
increase'in output level). In the INFINITY+ region,
the 160X inverts the program dynamics for
special effects.
G. OUTPUT GAIN CONTROL
Adjusting this control varies the amount of
fixed gain (up to ±20 dB) in the 160X's output
amplifier stage. The OUTPUT GAIN control does
not interact with the threshold of compression.
H. DISPLAY FUNCTION SWITCH AND
INDICATORS
Depressing this button causes the upper
LED array to display the INPUT level to the 160X.
With the button out, the OUTPUT signal level is
displayed. A pair of LEDs immediately above the
DISPLAY switch indicates the selected display
status.
I. LEVEL AND GAIN REDUCTION
DISPLAYS
The upper row of 19 LEDs displays either
the INPUT or OUTPUT level, as selected with the
DISPLAY switch. This display is factory set so that
0 dB is equivalent to +4 dBm input or output level
(1.23 V rms), but may be reset with the rear panel
METER CALIBRATION trimmer. (See Section 3.5
for recalibration instructions.)
The lower row of 12 LEDs displays up to
40 dB of GAIN REDUCTION being caused by the
160X. (Fixed gain changes commanded by the
OUTPUT GAlNcontrol are not displayed by the
gain change LEDs but are reflected in the output
level display.)
REAR PANEL
A. SIGNAL INPUT JACK AND TERMINALS
The TIp/R ing/Sleeve phone jack and barrier
strip are wired in parallel; either SIGNAL INPUT
accepts the incoming audio signal for processing
by the 160X. The phone jack accepts a standard
3-circuit 1/4-inch (6.3 mm) phone plug for a
balanced input source, or a 2-circuit (Tip/Sleeve)
phone plug for an unbalanced source.
B. DETECTOR INPUT (DET IN) TERMINALS
The 160X comes from the factory with these
terminals connected to the adjacent SIGNAL IN-
PUT (+) and (—) terminals by metal straps. By
removing the strapping, the detector input can be
separated from the signal input for special pro-
cessing applications.
C. SIGNAL OUTPUT JACK AND TERMINALS
The Tip/Ring/Sleeve phone jack and barrier
strip are wired in parallel; either SIGNAL OUTPUT
feeds the program from the 160X to the next
device in the audio path. As supplied from the
factory, the output (—) is internally connected to
the output ('?) whenever the 160X is not in by-
pass mode (see Section 2.4 for optional output
configurations).
D. METER CALIBRATION CONTROL
This screw-driver adjustable trimmer may be
used to precisely calibrate the front panel's upper
LED display so a 0 dB INPUT or OUTPUT level is
equivalent to any signal level from —15 dBm
(138 mV) to +10 dBm (2.45 V).
E. STRAPPING JACK
When a suitable patch cord (Tip/Ring/
Sleeve phone plugs on a 2-conductor, shielded
cable) joins this connector to the STRAPPING
jack on another Model 160X, and when one of
the units is switched to SLAVE mode, the two
units may then be utilized for processing a
stereo program.
F. AC LINE VOLTAGE REQUIREMENT
INDICATOR
This recessed indicator displays the
nominal AC line voltage for which the 160X
has been set at the factory.
G. AC POWER CABLE
Connect this cable to any 50 or 60 Hz AC
power source of the correct line voltage, as shown
by the AC LINE VOLTAGE Requirement
Indicator above. The Model 160X requires a
maximum of 8 watts AC power.
SPECIFICATIONS
Input Impedance: Signal input: 50 k0, unbalanced; 100 kft, balanced.
Detector input: 230 kf2, unbalanced; 460 kf2, balanced.
Input Level: +24 dBm maximum
Output Impedance: 22 ohms, designed to drive 600 ohms or greater
Output Level: +24 dBm into 600 ohms or greater
Threshold Range: Variable from -40 to +20 dBm (7.8 mV to 7.8 V RMS)
Compression Ratio: Over Easy: Program-dependent, aflected by THRESHOLD, COMPRESSION
RATIO settings (COMPRESSION RATIO control determines maximum
compression ratio), continuously variable from 1:1 to infinity:1 to -1:1.
Hard-knee: COMPRESSION RATIO setting defines exact compression ratio,
continuously variable from 1:1 to infinity:1 to -1:1
Maximum Compression: >60dB
Threshold Characteristic: Over Easy or hard-knee (switch selectable)
Attack Time: Program-dependent: 15 ms for 10 dB increase in input level (above
threshold), 5 ms for 20 dB, 3 ms for 30 dB.
Release Time: Program-dependent; varies automatically from 0-500 ms, affected by
settings of front panel controls.
Output Gain: Variable from -20 to +20 dB.
Slew Rate: >10V/us
Dynamic Range: >113dB
Equivalent Input Noise (unweighted): <-89 dBm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz.
Frequency Response: +0, -1dB, 20Hz - 20kHz.
Distortion Below Threshold: 2nd harmonic 0.07%; 3rd harmonic 0.07%.
Distortion Above Threshold: 2nd harmonic 0.07%; 3rd harmonic 0.02%.
Metering: 19 LED INPUT or OUTPUT display from -4O to +20 dB, 12 LED GAIN
REDUCTION display from -1 to -40 dB.
Meter Zero Set: -15 dBm to +10 dBm
Indicators: BELOW/threshold/ABOVE (green, yellow, red), INPUT (red), OUTPUT (red),
SLAVE (yellow), BYPASS (red).
Controls and Switches: THRESHOLD, COMPRESSION RATIO, OUTPUT GAIN, DISPLAY function
switch, meter zero adjust, BYPASS switch, SLAVE switch, OVER EASY switch.
Connectors: Input/output: TRS phone jacks and barrier terminal.
Detector: barrier terminal
Strapping: TRS phone jack